In a casual and even tone, Katrina “KC” Culberson described how she and two others beat and burned Celeste Fronsman so severely she died from the injuries.

Culberson took the stand Wednesday in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court as a prosecution witness in the second day of the trial of Canton resident LaFonse Dixon Jr.

Dixon, 34, is accused of having a role in the death of Fronsman, 29, of Canton. He faces aggravated murder, kidnapping and arson-related charges. Culberson, 22, and Monica Washington, 25, already have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the death of Fronsman. Both women reached plea agreements that allow them to avoid the death penalty. Dixon, meanwhile, potentially faces that sentence if convicted.

A day earlier, in opening statements, a defense attorney portrayed Culberson as the central figure in Fronsman’s death. She was a bully who ruled some of Canton’s toughest streets by ruthlessly controlling other prostitutes and drug addicts, the attorney told jurors.

Culberson told a different story, her testimony dominating most of the day’s court proceedings. She said that Dixon, her former boyfriend and crack cocaine supplier, was part of the savage attack on Fronsman.

A few times her voice softened, but she expressed no outward emotion while describing in fine detail how she and Dixon — with help from Washington — conspired to beat, strangle and burn Fronsman, leaving her to die in a remote area of Muskingum County on Aug. 26, 2012.

That was during prosecution questioning. During roughly two hours of cross-examination, Culberson broke down, crying and dabbing her eyes with a tissue. At one point she covered her eyes with her palm. Following a break, she answered more questions and kept her emotions in check.

The prosecution mostly focused on what happened in the early morning hours of that late-summer day.

First, the witness explained that she had become close friends with Fronsman when they prostituted and smoked crack together in Canton. Eventually the two became lovers.

The relationship was abusive at times. Culberson admitted routinely beating Fronsman because she sometimes would steal or cheat her out of money they made as prostitutes. But the two always reconciled and continued their mutually obsessive relationship, Culberson testified.

But she also was intimately involved with Dixon. He suspected Fronsman of leaking information to Canton police about a drug house on Gilmore Avenue NE that was connected to Dixon’s drug sales. The house was raided. Dixon was infuriated, Culberson said. And she also admitted being upset with Fronsman over a money issue.

Culberson said she and Dixon discussed beating and killing Fronsman. Culberson had the idea to dispose of her body in Muskingum County, an area she visited as a child.

CANTON MAN TESTIFIES

A week or two before Fronsman’s body was found, Dixon and Culberson had hunted her down, Culberson said, even asking her father if he knew her whereabouts, Culberson told the court. Fronsman eluded them, and Dixon and Culberson found her riding in the vehicle of Steve Maydock, who lives in southeast Canton.

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Maydock testified Wednesday that he was alarmed when Fronsman entered the home uninvited. She was pleading for help, explaining she was being pursued. Maydock agreed to give her a ride, but was eventually chased by Dixon and three women, he testified. Maydock drove to the Canton Police Department, where Fronsman got out of the vehicle as the others drove off.

Then, on Aug. 26, Culberson tracked down Fronsman again. This time she coaxed her into a vehicle and met up with Washington and Dixon.

Another witness, Tammy Charlton, of Canton, testified that Dixon and the others showed up at her house before heading to Muskingum County. Charlton, who is in prison on drug-related charges unrelated to the Fronsman case, said she had wanted to buy drugs from Dixon. That didn’t happen, and when she saw a beaten Fronsman in the back seat of the vehicle, she told the group to leave.

Charlton said she didn’t contact police because there was a warrant for her arrest. She said that Fronsman didn’t appear to be hurt that badly, assuming it was the result of another lover’s spat with Culberson.

Prior to arriving there, Dixon had hit Fronsman in the head while riding in the SUV, Culberson said.

Dixon and Washington tried to bind Fronsman’s wrists with a belt. After that didn’t work, tape was used, according to Culberson.

They headed along Interstate 77 toward Muskingum County. The beating continued there, Culberson testified. Culberson admitted whacking Fronsman in the head with a screwdriver handle. They decided to find a remote area to finish the assault and hide the body, she testified.

That led to the Tri-Valley Wildlife recreation area. Fronsman was taken out of the vehicle. Dixon grabbed her hands or arms; Washington took Fronsman by the feet, Culberson said. Fronsman, who was unconscious, was dropped in tall grass, she said.

Dixon instructed Culberson to get a gas can, the witness said. She poured the fuel on Fronsman. Dixon gave her a lighter, and she set her friend and lover ablaze.

Fronsman died two days later, suffering burns over about 70 percent of her body. The group headed back to Canton where they were arrested days later.

LYING TO INVESTIGATORS

Also under questioning by Prosecutor Michael Haddox, Culberson discussed letters she had written to Dixon following her arrest. In one of them, she penned, “Please forgive me for spilling the beans.”

She admitted she lied previously to investigators, attempting to minimize her involvement. Haddox asked Culberson why the jury should believe her now.

Unlike her previous talks with authorities, Culberson said, she was under oath. At one point Culberson opened up about how she felt about what she had done, saying she’s changed.

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“I know what I did was wrong, and I deserve to be punished along with everyone else,” she said.

“I was kind of torn between (Dixon and Fronsman) ... I guess,” she said. “I don’t really have an excuse for what I did; I have no excuse.”

Dixon did not look at Culberson during most of her testimony, keeping his head low as he took notes.

In a marathon questioning session, which required a 15-minute break, the defense seized on Culberson’s string of admitted mistruths in the criminal investigation.

Larry Thomas, a defense attorney, also raised questions about Culberson’s ability to recall the events accurately given her heavy drug use at the time. The cocaine sometimes made her feel like bugs were crawling on her body, she said. Drugs also gave her a rush, but they also “make you lose track of time,” Culberson said.

But despite the drug use, Culberson said, she accurately recalled what transpired.